Drip bag

ABSTRACT

A drip bag is devised so that the good taste of coffee made by a conventional paper drip system can be obtained using a simple construction, and so that the drip bag can be set easily and securely on the cup even in cases where the thickness of the walls of the opening part of the cup is large. The drip bag includes a bag main body which is made of a water-permeable filtering sheet material and which has an opening part in the upper end portion of said bag main body, holding members which are made of a thin sheet-form material and which are disposed on the outside surfaces of two opposite sides of the bag main body, and reinforcing parts which are made of a thin sheet-form material and which are pasted to the outside surface of the bag main body around the peripheral parts of the holding members. Each of these holding members is formed from a tongue part which is pasted to the outside surface of the bag main body, an arm part which is located on the periphery of the tongue part, which is continuous with the lower end of the tongue part and which is formed so that said arm part can be pulled out from the bag main body, and a peripheral edge part of a specified shape, which is located on the periphery of the arm part and which is continuous with the central portion of the upper end of the arm part.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a drip bag which is hooked tothe top of a container such as a cup or the like, so that drip typecoffee can easily be made.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Conventionally, a paper drip type coffee making method whichallows the easy enjoyment of genuine coffee has been widely used. Inthis paper drip type coffee making method, coffee for severalindividuals (several cups) is ordinarily made at one time.

[0003] In recent years, there has been an increase in the number ofpeople living alone, and the number of family members in a single familyis decreasing because of a trend toward nuclear families and because ofa drop in the birth rate. As a consequence, a disposable drip coffee bagfor one person (hereinafter called a drip bag) which is used tofacilitate the making of one cup of coffee is commonly seen on themarket in various forms instead of the conventional paper drip systemused mainly for making several cups of coffee.

[0004] In particular, drip bags that have a simple construction includedrip bags comprising a bag main body consisting of a water-permeablefiltering sheet in which ground coffee is placed, and a holding membermade of paper or the like which is pasted to a side surface of the bagmain body. This drip bag makes it possible to conserve the materialsused to form the bag, and can be manufactured at low cost. Furthermore,a compact product can be produced.

[0005] However, this drip bag differs from a conventional paper dripsystem in that a dripper is immersed in the liquid coffee inside the cupduring coffee percolation; accordingly, this may lead to dissatisfactionwith the taste of the coffee in some cases. Furthermore, since thedripper is immersed in the hot liquid coffee, care must be taken whenthe dripper is cleared away following coffee percolation.

[0006] In contrast to this, the present inventors have proposed a dripbag having holding members of a specified shape, which makes it possibleto obtain the good taste of coffee made by a conventional paper dripsystem, and which also has a simple construction, is extremely easy toset on the cup, shows a stable shape after being set on the cup, and iseasily and safely disposable following coffee percolation (JapanesePatent No. 3166151).

[0007]FIG. 4A is a plan view of a coffee drip bag 10 in which his dripbag 1 is filled with ground coffee, the opening art at the upper end isclosed, and a perforation is formed in the upper end portion. FIGS. 4Band 4C are explanatory diagrams showing the conditions of use.

[0008] This drip bag 1 comprises a bag main body 2, holding members 3which are disposed on the outside surfaces of two opposite sides of thebag main body 2, and reinforcing parts 9 which are disposed on the outerperipheral portions of the holding members 3.

[0009] The holding members 3 are formed by forming cut lines in a thinsheet-form material such as paper, a plastic sheet or the like. Each ofthese holding members 3 comprises a peripheral edge part 4, an arm part5 and a tongue part 6, with the tongue part 6 being pasted to theoutside surface of the bag main body 2 (in the figures, the portionsurrounded by the broken line p is the portion that is pasted). Thelower end of the tongue part 6 and lower portion of the arm part 5 arecontinuous, and the upper end of the arm part 5 and upper portion of theperipheral edge part 4 are continuous.

[0010] When the coffee drip bag 10 is used, the bag is opened by cuttingaway the upper end portion of the bag main body 2 along the perforation7. The peripheral edge parts 4 are pulled out as indicated by the arrowA (FIG. 4 B); these peripheral edge parts 4 are then further pulled outin accordance with the diameter of the cup 30, and these parts are seton the cup side walls 31 (FIG. 4 C).

[0011] As a result, the bag main body 2 is pulled in opposite directionsfrom two opposite sides by the arm parts 5 as indicated by the arrows B,so that the bag main body 2 is suspended in the upper central portion ofthe cup 30 in a state in which the opening part 8 is opened wide.Furthermore, the reinforcing parts 9 prevent the front and back sheetsthat form the bag main body 9 from flexing so that the opening part 8 isclosed. Moreover, the peripheral edge parts 4 pushes the outer surfacesof the cup side walls 31 in the direction indicated by the arrows C. Asa result, the coffee drip bag 10 is fastened to the upper part of thecup 30 in an extremely stable state.

[0012] After the coffee drip bag 10 has thus been simply set on the cup30 in an extremely stable state, good-tasting coffee can easily beobtained merely by pouring hot water via the opening part 8 as indicatedby the arrows. Furthermore, disposal of the coffee drip bag 10 followingcoffee percolation can also be easily accomplished.

[0013] However, in the abovementioned coffee drip bag 10, although thewalls 32 of the opening part of the cup 30 can be securely clamped bythe peripheral edge parts 4 and arm parts 5 as shown in FIG. 5A in caseswhere the wall thickness of the opening part of the cup 30 is thin,these walls 32 cannot be firmly clamped by the peripheral edge parts 4and arm parts 5 in cases where the walls 32 of the opening part of thecup 30 are thick as shown in FIG. 5 B. As a result, the holding members3 tend to slip from the cup 30 as indicated by the arrow.

[0014] The present invention is intended to solve such problems; anobject of the present invention is to allow very easy and secure settingon the cup, and further stabilization of the shape of the drip bagfollowing setting on the cup, even in cases where the walls of theopening part of the cup are thick, in a drip bag which is devised sothat the good taste of coffee made by a conventional paper drip systemcan be obtained.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present inventors discovered that by forming the holdingmembers with a specified shape in a drip bag that comprises a bag mainbody consisting of a water-permeable filtering sheet and holding membersconsisting of a thin sheet-form material, it is possible to form partsin the peripheral edge parts of the holding members that will hook ontothe walls of the opening part of the cup when the holding members arehooked onto the cup, so that the drip bag can be stably set on the cupeven in cases where the walls of the opening part of the cup are thick.

[0016] Specifically, the present invention provides a drip bag whichcomprises:

[0017] a bag main body made of a water-permeable filtering sheetmaterial having an opening part in the upper end portion;

[0018] holding members made of a thin sheet-form material disposed onthe outside surfaces of two opposite sides of the bag main body; and

[0019] reinforcing parts made of a thin sheet-form material pasted tothe outside surface of the bag main body around the peripheral portionsof the holding members;

[0020] wherein:

[0021] each of the holding members comprises:

[0022] a tongue part that is pasted to the outside surface of the bagmain body;

[0023] an arm part located on the periphery of the tongue part, which isformed so that said arm part is continuous with the lower end of thetongue part and so that said arm part can be pulled out form the bagmain body; and

[0024] a peripheral edge part located on the periphery of the arm part,which is continuous with the central portion of the upper end of the armpart; and

[0025] each of the peripheral edge parts has hanging parts which areseparated by cutting from the upper end of the arm part, and whichextend in the horizontal direction, on both sides of the upper centralportion of said peripheral edge part.

[0026] Furthermore, the present invention provides a coffee drip bagwhich is formed by filling the abovementioned drip bag with groundcoffee, and closing the upper end of the bag main body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027]FIG. 1A is a plan view of the coffee drip bag of the presentinvention;

[0028]FIGS. 1B and 1C are respective explanatory diagrams of theconditions of use;

[0029]FIGS. 2A and 2B are explanatory diagrams which compare the openstates during use of the coffee drip bag of the present invention and aconventional coffee drip bag;

[0030]FIG. 3A is a plan view of a different embodiment of the coffeedrip bag of the present invention;

[0031]FIGS. 3B and 3C are respective explanatory diagrams of theconditions of use;

[0032]FIG. 4A is a plan view of a conventional coffee drip bag;

[0033]FIGS. 4B and 4C are respective explanatory diagrams of theconditions of use; and

[0034]FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams illustrating a problempoint in conventional coffee drip bags.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0035] The drip bag of the present invention and a coffee drip bagformed by filling this drip bag with ground coffee will be describedbelow in detail with reference to the attached figures. In therespective figures, the same symbols indicate the same or similarconstituent elements.

[0036]FIG. 1A is a plan view of one aspect of the coffee drip bag of thepresent invention, and FIGS. 1B and 1C are respective explanatorydiagrams of the conditions of use.

[0037] This coffee drip bag 10A is prepared by filling a drip bag 1Aconstituting one aspect of the present invention with ground coffee,closing the opening part at the upper end of the bag, and forming aperforation 17 in the upper end portion of the bag.

[0038] The drip bag 1A comprises a bag main body 12 which consists of awater-permeable filtering sheet material, holding members 13 which aredisposed on the outside surfaces of two opposite sides of the bag mainbody 12, and reinforcing parts 19 which are pasted to the outsidesurface of the bag main body on the outer peripheral portions of theholding members.

[0039] The bag main body 12 has two opposite rectangular faces, i. e.,front and back rectangular faces 12 a and 12 b. For example, such a bagmain body 12 can be formed by folding a single rectangular sheet in twoso that the fold forms the bottom edge 12 b of the rectangular faces 12a and 12 b, and bonding both side edges 12 q and 12 r of the rectangularfaces 12 a and 12 b, with the upper end portion 12 s being left as anopening part.

[0040] Various types of materials which allow the percolation of coffeewhen the bag is filled with a specified amount of coffee and hot wateris poured in may be used as the water-permeable filtering sheet materialthat forms the bag main body 12. For example, woven fabrics or nonwovenfabrics comprising synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon,polyethylene, polypropylene, vinylon or the like, semi-synthetic fiberssuch as rayon or the like, or single or composite natural fibers such aspaper mulberry, paper bush (Mitsumata) or the like; mixed paperscomprising Manila hemp, wood pulp, polypropylene fibers or the like; andpapers such as tea bag base paper or the like, may be used. Furthermore,a sheet material with a three-layer structure comprising a first layermade of polyester, a second layer made of a mixed paper of a regularpolyester and a low-melting-point polyester, and a third layercomprising a melt-blown nonwoven fabric made of extremely fine fibers ofpolypropylene, is preferable in terms of taste, smell, flavor andpercolation time as the abovementioned water-permeable filtering sheetmaterial.

[0041] Furthermore, the holding members 13 are respectively disposed onthe outside surfaces of the rectangular faces 12 a and 12 b on the frontand back of the bag main body 12 in order to hook the bag main body 12on the cup 30. These holding members 13 are formed from a thinsheet-form material such as paper, a plastic sheet or the like.

[0042] Each of the holding members 13 comprises a tongue part 16, an armpart 15 which is located on the periphery of the tongue part 16, and aperipheral edge part 14 which is located on the periphery of the armpart 15 and which forms the peripheral edge of the holding member 13.Here, the tongue part 16 is pasted to the outside surface of the bagmain body 12 in the region surrounded by the broken line p. The arm part15 is continuous with the lower end of the tongue part 16, and is formedso that said arm part 15 can be pulled out from the bag main body 12.Furthermore, the peripheral edge part 14 is continuous with the centralportion of the upper end of the arm part 15.

[0043] In this drip bag 1A, a particular special feature is that theperipheral edge part 14 has hanging parts 14 a which re separated bycutting from the upper end of the arm part 15 along the cut lines L1,and which extend in the horizontal direction, on both sides of the uppercentral portion of the peripheral edge part 14. Furthermore, fold linesL2 are formed between these hanging parts 14 a and upper central portion14 b of the peripheral edge part 14, and fold lines L3 are also formedin the lower portion of the peripheral edge part 14 on extensions of theabovementioned fold lines L2.

[0044] Furthermore, the reinforcing parts 19 are located in positionsthat contact the holding members 13 in the areas above and to both sidesof the holding members 13, and are pasted to the outside surface of thebag main body 12. If the reinforcing parts 19 are thus formed inpositions contacting the holding members 13, the holding members 13 andreinforcing parts 19 can be formed easily and simultaneously at lowcost, and with little waste of the thin sheet-form material, by stampinga single sheet of this thin sheet-form material. Accordingly, such amethod is preferable.

[0045] Fold lines L4 which are used to fold the portion of eachreinforcing part 19 that is positioned above the corresponding holdingmember 13, i. e., the strip-form portion 19 a of the reinforcing part 19that is disposed along the opening part 18 of the bag main body 12, todefine a U shape are formed in said strip-form portion 19 a.

[0046] There are no particular restrictions on the size of thereinforcing parts 19; however, if these parts are too small, thestability of the shape of the bag main body 12 drops when the coffeedrip bag 10A is hooked on the cup 30 (see FIG. 1C. Accordingly, forexample, in a case where the height H1 of the bag main body 12 is 70 to100 mm and the width W1 is 65 to 85 mm, the height H2 of the holdingmembers 13 is preferably 35 to 85 mm, and the width W2 is preferablyabout 35 to 75 mm.

[0047] The bonding positions of the holding members 13 on the bag mainbody 12 depend on the size of the holding members 13 relative to the bagmain body 12; however, if these positions are too low, the stability ofthe bag main body 12 drops. Conversely, if these positions are too high,the lower portion of the bag main body 12 will be immersed in the brewedliquid coffee when the coffee drip bag 10A is hooked on the cup 30; insuch a case, depending on the preference of the consumer, there may beinstances in which this results in dissatisfaction with the taste of thecoffee.

[0048] Accordingly, the positions in which the holding members 13 arepasted to the bag main body are appropriately determined in accordancewith the preferences of consumers targeted for this commercial product;ordinarily, however, it is preferable to set these positions so that thedistance d between the lower edge 13 p of each holding member 13 and thelower edge 12 p of the bag main body 12 is approximately 10 to 25 mm.

[0049] In regard to the method whereby coffee is percolated using thiscoffee drip bag 10A, the bag main body 12 is first opened by cuttingaway the upper end portion of the bag main body 12 along the perforation17. Then, as is shown in FIG. 1B, the peripheral edge parts 14 arepulled out as indicated by the arrow A. Next, as is shown in FIG. 1C,the peripheral edge parts 14 are further pulled out in accordance withthe diameter of the opening part of the cup 30, and the peripheral edgeparts 14 are hooked on the cup side walls 31. The peripheral edge parts14 are then folded at the fold lines L2 and L3. After the coffee dripbag 10A has thus been set on the cup 30, hot water is poured in via theopening part 18 of the bag main body 12.

[0050] As a result of the coffee drip bag 10A thus being set on the cup30, the hanging parts 14 a of the peripheral edge part 14 are hooked sothat these parts are carried on the walls 32 of the opening part of thecup 30, thus causing the holding members 13 to be hooked very stably onthe cup 30. In this case, the bag main body 12 is pulled by the armparts 15 in opposite directions from two opposite sides as indicated bythe arrow B, so that the opening part 18 is opened wide. Furthermore,the shape of this opening is favorably maintained by the reinforcingparts 19, so that closing of the opening part 18 caused by flexing ofthe front and back rectangular faces 12 a and 12 b of the bag main body12 is prevented. In particular, since the strip-form portions 19 a ofthe reinforcing parts that are disposed along the opening part 18 of thebag main body 12 are folded at the fold lines L4 so that thesestrip-form portions 19 a are formed into a U shape, the opening part 18of the bag main body 12 can be opened wide even in cases where thediameter of the opening part of the cup 30 is small as shown in FIG. 2A.

[0051] In the case of a conventional coffee drip bag 10 which has nosuch fold lines in the reinforcing parts, on the other hand, as is shownin FIG. 2B, the degree of opening of the opening part 8 of the bag mainbody 2 is reduced in cases where the diameter of the opening part of thecup 30 is small.

[0052] Thus, in the case of this coffee drip bag 10A, the coffee dripbag 10A can be simply set on the cup 30 in an extremely stable stateeven in cases where the walls of the opening part of the cup 30 arethick. Furthermore, regardless of the size of the diameter of theopening part of the cup 30, the coffee drip bag 10A can be set on thecup 30 in a state in which the opening part 18 of the bag main body 12is opened wide. Accordingly, the pouring of hot water during coffeepercolation is facilitated.

[0053] Furthermore, if the holding members 13 are pasted to the bag mainbody 12 in relatively low positions, so that the bag main body 12 islocated above the liquid level of the percolated liquid coffee followingthe percolation of the coffee, good-tasting coffee similar to thatpercolated using a conventional paper drip system can be made; moreover,disposal of the coffee drip bag 10A following coffee percolation iseasy, and there is no danger of burns.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above description, an example was indicatedin which the coffee drip bag 10A was set on the cup 30 after the coffeedrip bag 10A was opened at the perforation 17. However, the method ofuse of the coffee drip bag 10A of the present invention is not limitedto such a method; it would also be possible to open the coffee drip bag10A after the coffee drip bag 10A has been set on the cup 30.

[0055] In the present invention, the holding members may have variousconfigurations.

[0056] Fore example, in order to form hanging parts 14 a which areseparated by being cut from the upper end of the arm part 15 and whichextend in the horizontal direction on both sides of the upper centralportions of the peripheral edge parts 14, it would also be possible toform circular cut lines L5 in the end portions of cut lines L6 thatseparate the peripheral edge parts 14 and arm parts 15 as shown in thecoffee drip bag 10B shown in FIG. 3A, instead of forming theabovementioned cut lines L1.

[0057] When the peripheral edge parts 14 of this coffee drip bag 10B arepulled out as shown in FIG. 3B, and the holding members 13 are set onthe cup 30 as shown in FIG. 3C, holes 21 are formed on both sides of theupper central portion of each peripheral edge part 14, and the portionsof each peripheral edge part 14 that are located above these holes 21function as hanging parts 14 a. Accordingly, even in cases where thewalls 32 of the opening part of the cup 30 are thick, the coffee dripbag 10B can be set on the cup 30 in a stable state.

[0058] In addition, the perforation 17 formed in the upper end portionof the bag main body 12 in the coffee drip bags 10A and 10B of thepresent invention is formed in order to facilitate the opening of thispart; however, instead of such a perforation 17, it would also bepossible to seal this part by heat bonding to a degree that allows easypeeling of said part.

[0059] The positions and shapes of the reinforcing parts 19 are likewisenot restricted to the abovementioned example; however, it is desirableto dispose these reinforcing parts 19 in a strip form along at least theopening part 18 of the bag main body 12 in order to stabilize the openstate of the bag main body 12. Furthermore, it is desirable to form foldlines for folding the strip-form portions to define a U shape in thestrip-form portions disposed along the opening part 18 of the bag mainbody 12 in order to insure that the degree of opening of the openingpart of the bag main body is not reduced even in cases where thediameter of the opening part of the cup is small.

Industrial Applicability

[0060] The drip bag of the present invention, and the coffee drip bagformed by filling this drip bag with ground coffee, can be very easilyset on the cup regardless of the thickness of the walls of the openingpart of the cup, and the shape of the bag following this setting is alsostable. Furthermore, regardless of the size of the opening diameter ofthe cup, the opening part of the bag main body can be opened wide, sothat the pouring of hot water is easy. Furthermore, if holding membersare pasted to the bag main body in accordance with the preferences ofconsumers so that the lower end of the bag main body is positioned inthe upper part of the cup when the bag is set on the cup, there will beno immersion of the bag main body in the percolation liquid coffee evenafter the coffee has been percolated. Accordingly, good-tasting coffeesimilar to that percolated using a conventional paper drip system can bemade. Furthermore, as a result of this, disposal of the bag followingcoffee percolation is easier and safer.

1. A drip bag comprising: a bag main body made of a water-permeablefiltering sheet material having an opening part in the upper endportion; holding members made of a thin sheet-form material disposed onthe outside surfaces of two opposite sides of the bag main body; andreinforcing parts made of a thin sheet-form material pasted to theoutside surface of the bag main body around the peripheral portions ofthe holding members; wherein: each of the holding members comprises: atongue part that is pasted to the outside surface of the bag main body;an arm part located on the periphery of the tongue part, which is formedso that said arm part is continuous with the lower end of the tonguepart and so that said arm part can be pulled out form the bag main body;and a peripheral edge part located on the periphery of the arm part,which is continuous with the central portion of the upper end of the armpart; and each of the peripheral edge parts has hanging parts which areseparated by cutting from the upper end of the arm part, and whichextend in the horizontal direction, on both sides of the upper centralportion of said peripheral edge part.
 2. The drip bag according to claim1, wherein the hanging parts of the peripheral edge parts and both sideportions of the upper ends of the arm parts are separated by cuttingalong cut lines.
 3. The drip bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein foldlines are formed between the hanging parts and upper central portions ofthe peripheral edge parts, and fold lines are formed in the lowerportions of the peripheral edge parts on extensions of theabovementioned fold lines.
 4. The drip bag according to claim 1, whereinreinforcing parts are disposed in strip form along the opening part ofthe bag main body, and fold lines which are used to fold thesestrip-form portions to define a U shape are formed in said strip-formportions.
 5. The drip bag according to claim 1, wherein the holdingmembers and reinforcing parts are formed by stamping a single sheet of athin sheet-form material.
 6. A coffee drip bag which is prepared byfilling the drip bag according to any of claims 1 through 5 with groundcoffee, and closing the upper end of the bag main body.
 7. The coffeedrip bag according to claim 6, wherein a perforation is formed in theupper end portion of the bag main body, so that opening is facilitated.